Artemis II Crew Breaks Distance Record, Will Reach Maximum Distance From Earth Monday Night
The Artemis II mission is unbelievable. I say we take the funds we give to NATO and the UN and give them to NASA.
At 1:56 PM ET, the Artemis II crew became the first humans to travel the farthest from Earth.
The Artemis II crew named one of the craters they called a “bright spot” after Commander Reid Wiseman’s wife Carroll, who passed away from cancer in May 2020.
I dare you not to cry.
Here is the schedule:
- 12:41 a.m.: Orion enters lunar sphere of influence at 41,072 miles from the Moon.
- 1:30 p.m.: The science officer in mission control will brief the crew on their science goals for the upcoming flyby.
- 1:56 p.m.: The Artemis II crew is expected surpass the record previously set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970 for the farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth.
- 2:45 p.m.: Lunar observations begin.
- 6:44 p.m.: Mission control expects to temporarily lose communication with the crew as the Orion spacecraft passes behind the Moon.
- 6:45 p.m.: During “Earthset,” Earth will glide behind the Moon from Orion’s perspective.
- 7:02 p.m.: Orion reaches its closest approach to the Moon at 4,070 miles above the surface.
- 7:07 p.m.: Crew reach their maximum distance from Earth during the mission.
- 7:25 p.m.: “Earthrise” marks Earth coming back into view on the opposite edge of the Moon.
- 7:25 p.m.: NASA’s Mission Control Center should re -acquire communication with the astronauts.
- 8:35-9:32 p.m.: During a solar eclipse, the Sun will pass behind the Moon from the crew’s perspective.
- 9:20 p.m.: Lunar observations conclude.
Apollo 13 set the record in April 1970 during its emergency return when it reached 248,655 miles from Earth.
Artemis II will reach 252,760 miles from Earth.
Now let’s look at the moon. We’ve all seen the moon, right?
Well, the astronauts released photos of the moon’s dark side, a side humans have never seen.
Look at Earth.
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